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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25073500">What the Boss Saw</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarlett2u/pseuds/scarlett2u'>scarlett2u</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attraction, F/M, Idiots in Love, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:54:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25073500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarlett2u/pseuds/scarlett2u</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What Greef saw could not be unseen. They were two stars endlessly revolving around each other: a binary system.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cara Dune &amp; Greef Karga, Cara Dune &amp; The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Cara Dune/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Greef Karga &amp; The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>142</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What the Boss Saw</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a brave new world.</p>
<p>They had dealt with Moff Gideon. Good riddance to bad rubbish.</p>
<p>Greef Karga would’ve welcomed Mando back into the Guild with open arms, but the hunter obviously had other concerns and responsibilities now. That came as no surprise. What was a shocker was that Mando’s companion/ally/partner/something, Cara Dune, announced she was staying behind. And obviously not just to the disgraced magistrate.</p>
<p>“You’re staying here?!” Mando’s confusion was apparent even through the voice modulator in his helmet.  </p>
<p>There was no time to waste. Greef had just lost his best hunter at a time when he had a town to clean up and a business to rebuild. Perhaps this fine specimen of soldier would come work for him and he in return would help clear the issues with her chain code? He could make it worth her while.</p>
<p>It was an unexpected offer. When Greef had arrived to the rendezvous point with Mando, he shouldn’t have been surprised that his former employee had also brought a security detail, though it was a rather motley crew: an Ugnaught (harmless old man) and the asset (a half-century old baby) and…someone else.</p>
<p>Seated atop a blurrg, the female had the face of angel, dark of hair and even darker of eye, and the regal bearing of a queen. But the rest of her screamed ‘angel of death’, from the armor and weapons she wore to the inked stripes on her muscular right arm. A small tattoo of the symbol of the Rebel Alliance sat high on her left cheekbone, calling attention to the symmetry of her face and the flash of her eyes. At a distance, it might almost pass as a beauty mark, but it would not hold up to the close scrutiny they were sure to get from the Imperials in town.</p>
<p>Having her along was bound to complicate matters.</p>
<p>Greef appealed to Mando to leave her behind, to no avail. “She’s coming.” His tone brooked no argument and Greef grudgingly admired him for it. The Mandalorian had strong survival instincts and more lives than a loth-cat. And he certainly knew how to pick an advantageous ally.</p>
<p>As their operation progressed, Greef came to see that he’d been right to be wary of the female. She asked pointed and pertinent questions. Those obsidian eyes observed everything and seemed to almost wordlessly communicate with Mando, though how could that be when he was wearing a helmet that rendered eye contact impossible?</p>
<p>No, Cara Dune did not defer to the Mandalorian as a standard-issue hired mercenary might. It seemed theirs was an alliance of equals, like seasoned partners who had some sort of sixth sense about how the other thought and would react. Greef wondered where Mando had found her.</p>
<p>Dune moved fast when the situation called for it. When winged creatures attacked the crew around the campfire, she was the first to note that Greef had been injured and rush to his side, shouting orders for a medpack and brainstorming what to do when none was available. In the end, it was the child who had come forward, claw-like hand outstretched and focused on helping. With a simple touch, the poison stopped spreading and the wound closed.</p>
<p>She was amazing in combat, and never more so than when she had the baby on one hip and was firing a blaster from the other, all the while instructing IG-11 to bring Mando and keep him alive.</p>
<p>Perhaps, like Mando, Greef was a survivor too. He might not have as much luck as the bounty hunter in beskar, but he could spot opportunities and adapt to new circumstances on the fly. Like all great men, he made his own luck. And if he could acquire the ex-solider’s services in cleaning up the town and rebuilding his bounty hunters guild, he could restore his reputation and finances.</p>
<p>Fortune favored the bold. Cara agreed to sign on as his enforcer and they made their farewells to the Mandalorian and his foundling. If Cara seemed a little pensive as she rubbed the child’s ears fondly, and Mando seemed a little quieter than usual (even for him)…well, that was to be expected; they were parting and might never meet again. They lived dangerous lives and the galaxy was a big place after all.</p>
<p>All too soon, the father-son duo were streaking across the sky, the exhaust of the jet pack looking like a shooting star as it grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Eyes trained on the horizon, Cara closed her eyes for the merest of seconds. She might’ve been making a wish or simply blinking away dust from her eye, Greef didn’t know. They stood watch until the light disappeared completely beyond the horizon before beginning the walk back.</p>
<p>In the course of one day, everything had changed.</p>
<p>Dusk was setting in when they arrived back at Greef’s compound. He secured a suite for his new employee and was not surprised when Dune snatched a flagon of blue spotchka from the bar and announced she was going to take a long, hot bath. He promised to send up a light supper later and told her to take some time before she reported to start her new position.</p>
<p>He’d expected her to take at least a day or two, but the following morning, she was sitting in his ‘office’, hair neatly braided and armor polished.</p>
<p>She was ready to dive in.</p>
<p>And what a splash she made.</p>
<p>Cara patrolled the streets of Nevarro, rooting out any remaining Imps. When Greef tried to praise her performance, she shrugged it off. With Moff Gideon gone, they were, as predicted, like “rats leaving a sinking ship.”</p>
<p>Dune was good for business too. She helped Greef with security, recruiting and training new hunters, collecting debts, pretty much anything he needed…with only two exceptions: she didn’t do housework or recordkeeping. “Not what I signed on for.”</p>
<p>She kept herself busy and within weeks, Greef couldn’t remember what life was like before she came.</p>
<p>In the evenings, when she had some idle time, Cara either visited the Armorer in the ruins of the Mandalorian covert or enjoyed a companionable drink with Greef. Depending on how much spotchka she’d had, she might even answer some of her new boss’s questions.</p>
<p>Greef was endlessly curious about his associate.</p>
<p>“What exactly do you and the Armorer do when you visit the covert?” he couldn’t help but ask.</p>
<p>“She braids my hair and we talk about Mandalorian boys.” Cara tried to sound serious, but her smirk gave her away. She took another sip of her drink and gave a more serious answer. “Actually, we’re both experiencing new starts. It’s nice to have another woman to talk to sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Hmm,” Greef appeared to consider her comment. “It’s not your first new start, is it? Are you really from Alderaan?”</p>
<p>“Are you really doubting the intel of the great Moff Gideon?” the sarcasm was heavy in her voice. “By the way, don’t ever call me Carasynthia if you expect me to answer.”</p>
<p>“Noted,” Greef poured some more liquor into her glass. “Well, I’m relieved you were able to escape the fate of your home planet.”</p>
<p>“I was away at school,” she said it under her breath before taking another sip.</p>
<p>Interesting. He raised his eyebrows, “What were you studying?”</p>
<p>She paused and Greef was uncertain if she were going to answer. “I wanted to be a healer,” she finally confessed.</p>
<p>Cara waited for Greef to laugh, but he surprised her by nodding.</p>
<p>“I could see you doing that.” He thought of her rushing to his aid during the campfire attack and her strong determination to snatch Mando from the clutches of death. “Kind of ironic, I suppose, that you turned out to be a warrior.”</p>
<p>Her mouth twisted wryly, “Something like that.”</p>
<p>“How did you meet Mando?” He’d been waiting for his opportunity to ask that.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” was her reply.</p>
<p>“Try me.”</p>
<p>The corners of her lips turned up. “Have you ever heard of a planet called Sorgan?”</p>
<p>Greef’s brow wrinkled in concentration. “Should I have?”</p>
<p>“No reason to. No major cities, no space ports. A total backwater. I thought no one had ever heard of the place…until he walked in. I thought Mando was there tracking me, so I lured him outside and we faced off….”</p>
<p>“And…who won?” They were both still alive, something Greef figured was uncommon for their usual opponents.</p>
<p>“We’ll never know. We were at a draw when the kid came out of the cantina, slurping some bone broth,” she grinned.</p>
<p>“That little smile tells me you know you were kicking his ass,” Greef observed. “Hey, did you say the kid? This happened that recently? I thought you’d known each other for years!”</p>
<p>“No, we had a conversation and some soup and I thought that was the end of it. Then he found me because he needed some help with raiders who were targeting a krill fishing village. We found we worked well together. I guess it was a bonding experience.” Cara shrugged and tried to sound nonchalant.</p>
<p>She hoped Greef wouldn’t ask anything more about it, because she was hard pressed to explain the instant connection she shared with Mando. Well, she’d believed they shared it. They’d cheated death together and she’d promised to protect his child, yet he’d literally gone flying out of her life immediately after. He hadn’t asked her to join them or even tried to contact her since he left.</p>
<p>Which was just as well. She’d always been independent. What was it the Mandalorians said about living in harmony with their teachings? “This is the Way.” Well, this was Cara’s way. She had stability and purpose and even new friends. If she sometimes dreamed of contented coos coming from a creature with soft green ears or of a beskar-clad figure vowing to never leave her…well, the events were still fresh. They had only been gone a little over three months.</p>
<p>Just one hundred days.</p>
<p>One hundred days…without Din.</p>
<p>Cara looked at the bottom of her glass. It was empty.</p>
<p>She pushed her glass away and scooted her chair back, rising on unsteady feet.</p>
<p>Great, she had drunk too much.</p>
<p>Talked too much.</p>
<p>Thought too much.</p>
<p>She was going to sleep, perchance to dream…but not of him. She could control that, right?</p>
<p>“Good night, boss,” she murmured before leaving the room.</p>
<p>Greef raised his glass to her. “Sweet dreams!” He could’ve sworn he heard her give a derisive snort.</p>
<p>The following morning, Cara was back to her efficient self, with no indications that she was suffering any negative effects from imbibing too much.</p>
<p>Despite numerous attempts over the next couple of weeks, Greef was unable to draw any more personal information out of her. When he tried, she’d just give a vague response or change the subject. It was maddening.</p>
<p>Who was Cara Dune?</p>
<p>It was like trying to put together a puzzle with half the pieces missing.</p>
<p>The only person he knew who was as private as his enforcer was Mando—and he wore armor and kept his face concealed. He’d worked with Mando for years, and if you were to ask Greef if he knew him well before this business with the kid, he would’ve said, “well enough.” Clearly, he had more to learn.</p>
<p>Din and Dune--they were a mystery, those two. Enigmas, the both of them.</p>
<p>It was the middle of the afternoon when two figures came into the cantina, eliciting curious stares from the handful of customers loitering about.</p>
<p>Well, well, well, if it wasn’t the shiny enigma himself!</p>
<p>“Mando and son!” Greef gestured to the new floating pram and the little green face sticking up out of it. “Hello, little one,” he waggled his fingers in greeting and was rewarded with a friendly coo and a wave back.</p>
<p>“Come, sit,” he invited as he looked his friend over. The Mandalorian appeared none the worse for wear and the child seemed happy and healthy. “What brings you back to Nevarro? I thought you’d be at the other side of the galaxy by now.”</p>
<p>“That was the plan. I’ve been searching for the child’s people.” Mando seemed to be looking at him, but Greef had a suspicion he was actually scanning the room.</p>
<p>“I take it you haven’t had much luck so far?”</p>
<p>“There’s been some leads, but before I go too far out, I need some modifications and repairs done on my ship.” As per usual, Mando was very economical with his words.</p>
<p>“Where are my manners?” Greef loved playing the gracious host. “Can I get you something to drink? Some juice for my little friend?”</p>
<p>Mando shook his head. “Nothing for me. Juice would be nice for the kid.”</p>
<p>Greef called over a server and while they were waiting, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Mando was still looking for something.</p>
<p>He decided to go for the direct approach. “Is there something I can do for you?”</p>
<p>“I’m looking for some work. I need some funds to cover the ship repairs.”</p>
<p>“Well, why didn’t you say so, old friend? The Guild would be delighted to have you back. I don’t know that I have any assignments worthy of your level of skills right now….”</p>
<p>“I’m just looking for something quick. I can only stay a couple of days. I can’t impose—.”</p>
<p>They were interrupted as a mud-splattered Cara burst into the room.</p>
<p>“Easy assignment, my ass! Look at me, Greef! You managed to send me into the one muddy spot on this entire volcanic planet--,” she broke off when she realized the boss had visitors.</p>
<p>Cara froze when she saw who it was. “D—Mando?”</p>
<p>He was immediately on his feet. “Cara.”</p>
<p>Their small audience stared further when they met in the middle of the cantina, wrists crossed and hands clasped tightly.</p>
<p>Seconds passed and they didn’t seem to want to let go.</p>
<p>Greef cleared his throat.</p>
<p>It was clear neither was paying him any attention whatsoever.</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>They finally broke apart when Cara felt an insistent tugging at the top of one of her boots. The child had somehow escaped his pram and made his way over to her.</p>
<p>“There you are, little man! Have you been taking good care of your dad here?”</p>
<p>The child squealed with laughter and hugged her leg.</p>
<p>“No, no, let’s stay away from my muddy boots.” She picked up the little creature and carried him over to table, holding him in her arms.</p>
<p>“How did you manage to get into mud here on Nevarro?” The Mandalorian was curious.</p>
<p>“It’s a long story,” Cara sighed. “Let’s just say that Greef’s risk assessment skills aren’t any better than his estimate of the number of stormtroopers.” She and Mando shared a chuckle at that.</p>
<p>“Oh, but I don’t need to worry about risks anymore; that’s why I have you,” Greef argued smoothly. “She really is the best enforcer I’ve had. My most valuable employee now that you’ve left us, Mando. Unless…we can persuade you to come back?”</p>
<p>“Like I said, I’m just for repairs and supplies, and to check in with the Armorer.” He seemed to still be looking at Cara.</p>
<p>“Hey now,” Cara gently pulled some locks of her hair out of the baby’s mouth. “That is not a snack!” she mock-scolded.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Mando sounded sheepish. “He’s been gnawing on everything lately. I think some more of his back molars may be coming in.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s get him something a little more appropriate to chew on,” Greef suggested. “What about Galla seeds? I think he has enough teeth for those.”</p>
<p>When the server brought a small wooden bowl filled with brown seeds that resembled oversized almonds, the child dug in with gusto, only slowing down when his father figure took the bowl and began to dole the seeds out one by one.</p>
<p>“Will you be staying with us while you’re here?” Greef wanted to know.</p>
<p>“If you can accommodate me. If not, there may be space in the former covert or we can just stay on the Razor Crest.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be ridiculous. Why, you’re practically family. Isn’t that right, General?” Greef turned to Cara.</p>
<p>“General?” Mando sounded amused.</p>
<p>Cara rolled her eyes. “One of Greef’s more flattering nicknames,” she explained. “Though I think I may deserve it after this morning’s adventures.”</p>
<p>“What happened out there?” Greef expected a briefing, at least.</p>
<p>“A couple of rogue Imps, probably bored out of their minds with Gideon gone, have been causing trouble around town. I caught them at an opportune time; they had just captured a gundark--.”</p>
<p>“A gundark? Isn’t that illegal?” the Mandalorian asked.</p>
<p>“Yes, have you ever seen one?”</p>
<p>“Only in a gladiator’s arena. They are supposed to be very strong.”</p>
<p>“They are. Only a couple of meters tall, but big, sharp teeth and ridiculously big ears, kind of like this guy,” Cara reached out and rubbed the child’s ears, making him chirp with delight.</p>
<p>“So what happened?” Greef was going to have to curtail Cara’s nature talk.</p>
<p>“They could either deal with their capture or deal with me. They had better luck with the gundark,” Cara grinned. “They won’t be bothering you or the gundark again though. I took the creature away from the town and set it loose, like the respectable, law-abiding citizen I am now,” she preened.</p>
<p>Greef just shook his head. “Mando, if you stop by first thing tomorrow, I should have a selection of possibilities for some quick bounties for you. In the meantime, my lovely assistant—.”</p>
<p>“See how quickly I’m demoted from General,” Cara broke in.</p>
<p>“My lovely assistant here will show to your rooms and arrange for your supper to be sent up later.” Greef watched as the trio got up and left.</p>
<p>It was to become a familiar sight over the next couple of weeks.</p>
<p>It started with the first night Mando was there. The following morning, Cara was yawning at a furious rate and kept pouring caf. When Greef teased that her encounter with the gundark rustlers had left her exhausted, she’d replied that it was because she’d stayed up most of the night catching up with Mando.</p>
<p>Were they talking about the same guy? The Mando that Greef knew was quiet, difficult to know, a loner. If you looked up the word “dour” in a Basic dictionary, there was probably a picture of his tin head next to it. The Mando who was Cara’s friend had an easier, more relaxed way about him and was apparently a good conversationalist. Who knew?</p>
<p>The two friends were joined at the hip. Whenever Mando wasn’t pursuing a bounty and Cara wasn’t on assignment, they were always together. Because of his helmet, they couldn’t share meals or even have a drink together, but that didn’t deter them in the slightest.</p>
<p>They patrolled the streets together. If Greef had thought the streets were clear before, they were downright immaculate now with a fully armored Mandalorian and a former shocktrooper walking them every day.</p>
<p>They trained together. Greef happened to walk in on one of their sparring sessions and it looked like no training exercise he’d ever seen. It was more like some grand gladiatorial game or deadly dance. They could literally throw each other around the room and then laugh wholeheartedly as they clasped hands and helped each other up. Worse still was when they wrestled each other to the floor and one had the other pinned—then it looked like something altogether different that Greef didn’t even want to contemplate.</p>
<p>They inventoried Mando’s weapons cache, disassembling and doing maintenance on each piece so that it was at peak performance.</p>
<p>They went shopping for supplies for the Razor Crest, looking to all the world like a nesting family, with Din carrying the baby on his back, his arms loaded down with packages, and Cara mingling about, checking their supply list and bargaining for the best price on the goods.</p>
<p>Things were changing.</p>
<p>Just last week, Greef came in to find Cara already at work with the baby tucked into a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. The Armorer was not available that day and Din was out on a job, Cara shrugged. Greef wasn’t sure if he was more surprised by Cara “I Don’t Do the Baby Thing” Dune voluntarily babysitting or her calling the Mandalorian by his given name.  </p>
<p>Mando’s initial plan to only stay a couple of days kept changing. “Just one more job.” Greef knew it had to end sometime and his other bounty hunters were already growing irritated that Mando was taking all the best local assignments. Still, he knew it would be hard for the two friends to say goodbye again for who knows how long.</p>
<p>Greef slipped out one evening to get some fresh air, or at least as fresh as it got on a volcanic planet.  The cantina would be closing soon and long shadows punctuated the growing darkness. A couple stood outside the building, silhouetted in the growing darkness. They made a pretty picture, talking and laughing, oblivious to everything else.</p>
<p>Greef couldn’t make out their faces, but they seemed reluctant for the night to end. The way they stood, the way they moved their hands, the tones of their voices…these all spoke to a strong mutual attraction.</p>
<p>It was late. Really, he should just kiss the girl and get on with it, Greef thought with equal parts exasperation and amusement.</p>
<p>Or she should kiss him.</p>
<p>The two were so close, scant inches apart, fingers almost touching. If they angled their heads just so…and closed the distance between them, they would be in an embrace.</p>
<p>Instead, they remained locked in a timeless waiting dance….</p>
<p>Two stars endlessly revolving around each other in space: a binary system.</p>
<p>Just then, the clouds drifted exposing the brightness of the pale moon and temporarily illuminating the street. Greef let out a gasp as light glinted off shiny metal and revealed what he should’ve already known.</p>
<p>There would be no impulsive kiss or impromptu embrace this evening.</p>
<p>There could not be, however much both parties clearly desired it.</p>
<p>What Greef saw could not be unseen.</p>
<p>He understood it all clearly now. Stars, there’d been so shortage of clues, though he seemed to ignore all of them.  </p>
<p>Din Djarin had not returned to Nevarro for work.</p>
<p>He’d not returned for parts or supplies or a visit with his people.</p>
<p>No, he’d returned for something infinitely more precious.</p>
<p>Din was here for Cara Dune.</p>
<p>And knowing his friend, there was no way he’d be leaving without her this time.</p>
<p>Just when Greef had gotten his business and life back in order.</p>
<p>Well, kriff.</p>
<p>Greef ducked back into the cantina. He’d better get back to work fixing Dune’s chain code. He had a feeling she’d be needing it soon.</p>
<p>He could see the writing on the wall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>                                          </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The CaraDin writers here are so immensely talented that I’m almost too intimidated to post this. While I’ve written fanfic before, this will be my first story for The Mandalorian fandom and for the AO3 site. I hope you enjoy it. </p>
<p>Galla seeds are a genuine Star Wars snack. Apparently, Yoda kept them in his pantry on Dagobah, so I figured Baby Yoda would enjoy them too. </p>
<p>Gundarks? Also real in the Star Wars universe. You don’t want to try to pull their ears off, trust me.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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